British journal of anaesthesia
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The effects of halogenated anaesthetics on cross-bridge (CB) kinetics are unclear. As halogenated anaesthetics do not markedly modify the intracellular calcium transient in the diaphragm, we used an isolated rat diaphragm preparation to assess the effects of halothane and isoflurane on CB kinetics. ⋯ In the rat diaphragm at therapeutic concentrations, halogenated anaesthetics do not significantly modify CB mechanical and kinetic properties.
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Patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) are at high risk of perioperative complications. DMD may be accompanied by heart failure resulting from dystrophic involvement of the myocardium, which can be subclinical in the early stages of the disease. This case demonstrates that a normal preoperative ECG and echocardiograph cannot exclude the development of heart failure during anaesthesia in DMD patients undergoing major surgery.
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In some patients passage of a pulmonary artery flotation catheter (PAFC) into the pulmonary artery may be difficult and time consuming and the prolonged manipulation can cause ventricular arrhythmias. A simple clinical method used during general anaesthesia is presented to allow rapid passage of a PAFC into the pulmonary artery. ⋯ This method may reduce the risk of ventricular arrhythmias, and could be particularly useful in high-risk critically ill patients.